Salazar will address public land in America Thursday, a topic that is closely tied to energy use and exploration. He is a politician with a recent history in public land policy and energy resource innovation.

“We’re seeing thousands and thousands of jobs being created through wind, solar, geothermal and advanced biofuels in our country,” Salazar said Wednesday. “That is in part because of the increase in production we’re seeing across the country but also in my home state, Colorado.”

Salazar’s talk will only be open to conference attendees. A related event that is free to the public will be taking place on Thursday as well. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the UMC’s Glenn Miller Ballroom, actors Clay Jenkinson and Bryce Townsend will present “The Public Domain and the Public Lands: 1812, 1912, 2112 Re-enactment/Pre-enactment Event with Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and a Visitor from the Future.”